NBC WINS THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE NEW SEASON WITH 'DEAL OR NO DEAL' AND THE DEBUT OF 'STUDIO 60'

NBC WINS THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE NEW SEASON WITH 'DEAL OR NO DEAL' AND THE DEBUT OF 'STUDIO 60'

BURBANK, Calif. � September 19, 2006 � NBC won the first night of the 2006-07 season in adults 18-49 and total viewers, as a two-hour "Deal or No Deal" and the debut of the new drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" combined to give NBC a first-place 4.9 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49 and 14.9 million overall viewers for Monday night, according to preliminary "fast affiliate-based" "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Versus the opening Monday night of last season, NBC's performance last night was up by 14 percent in adults 18-49 and by 2.8 million viewers overall.

From 8-10 p.m. ET, the season premiere of "Deal or No Deal" (4.9/13 in 18-49, 15.6 million viewers overall) won its highly competitive two-hour time period in adults 18-49, total viewers and virtually all key measures. From its first to its final half-hour, "Deal" surged by 54 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 6.0/14 from a 3.9/11) and by 4.9 million viewers overall

At 10 p.m. ET, the premiere of "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (5.0/13 in 18-49, 13.4 million viewers overall) achieved NBC's highest 18-49 rating in this hour with series programming since September 26, 2005 and highest overall viewership in the hour with series programming since November 21, 2005. "Studio 60" ranked #2 in its time period in adults 18-49 and most key demos and #1 in adults 18-34 (tied) based on preliminary results.

Preliminary 18-49 averages for Monday night are: NBC, 4.9/13; CBS, 4.7/12; Fox and ABC, 3.3/8; CW, 0.8/2. In overall total viewers, September 18 preliminary results are: NBC, 14.9 million; CBS, 13.8 million; Fox, 8.4 million; ABC, 7.6 million; CW, 2.0 million

In local-market late-night results last night, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (4.5 rating, 11 share in metered-market households) defeated CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" (3.8/10), and ABC's "Nightline" (2.9/7) and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (1.4/5).

At 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1.9/7) beat CBS' "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.8/7) and the second half of Kimmel.

Note that all national ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated. Metered-market household ratings are live only.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: What follows is the afternoon update with the final national Nielsen ratings.]

UPDATE: NBC WINS THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE NEW SEASON WITH 'DEAL OR NO DEAL' AND THE DEBUT OF 'STUDIO 60'

UPDATE: NBC WINS THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE NEW SEASON WITH 'DEAL OR NO DEAL' AND THE DEBUT OF 'STUDIO 60'

NBC IS UP 16 PERCENT IN 18-49 VERSUS PREMIERE MONDAY LAST YEAR AND UP 24 PERCENT IN TOTAL VIEWERS

BURBANK, Calif. � September 19, 2006 � NBC won the first night of the 2006-07 season in adults 18-49 and total viewers, as a two-hour "Deal or No Deal" and the debut of the new drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" combined to give NBC a first-place 5.0 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49 and 15.0 million viewers overall for Monday night, according to updated "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Versus the opening Monday night of last season, NBC's performance last night was up by 16 percent in adults 18-49. In total viewers the increase is 24 percent, or more than 2.8 million viewers overall. The nightlong victory in total viewers is NBC's first on a premiere Monday since 1994.

From 8-10 p.m. ET, the season premiere of "Deal or No Deal" (5.0/13 in 18-49, 15.8 million viewers overall) won its highly competitive two-hour time period in virtually all key categories. From its first to its final half-hour, "Deal" surged by 50 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 6.0/14 from a 4.0/11) and by 4.7 million viewers overall

At 10 p.m. ET, the premiere of "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (5.0/13 in 18-49, 13.4 million viewers overall) achieved NBC's highest 18-49 rating in this hour with series programming since September 26, 2005 and highest overall viewership total in the hour with series programming since November 21, 2005. "Studio 60" ranked #2 in its time period in adults 18-49 and most key demos and #1 in adults 18-34 (tied).

Updated 18-49 averages for Monday night are: NBC, 5.0/13; CBS, 4.7/12; Fox, 3.3/8 and ABC, 3.2/8. In overall total viewers, September 18 updated results are: NBC, 15.0 million; CBS, 13.9 million; Fox, 8.5 million and ABC, 7.0 million. These are NBC's biggest margins over #2 on a premiere Monday (excluding Olympics) in 18-49 and total viewers in the 19-year history of Nielsen's current people meter sample.

In local-market late-night results last night, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (4.5 rating, 11 share in metered-market households) defeated CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" (3.8/10), and ABC's "Nightline" (2.9/7) and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (1.4/5).

At 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1.9/7) beat CBS' "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.8/7) and the second half of Kimmel.

Note that all national ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated. Metered-market household ratings are live only.